Digital mapping is increasingly used for a variety of applications. For instance, digital mapping can be used to create or recreate an environment for augmented or virtual reality. In these instances, a 3-dimensional (3D) space may be captured and then digitally rendered using a computing system to recreate the virtual space. Some mapping systems may utilize a digital camera to capture image data of from the space by sweeping in a rotational manner. Additionally or alternatively, technology such as light detection and ranging (LIDAR) methods can utilize lasers to detect the topography of the 3D space.
However, traditional methods may have some drawbacks that cause them to be slow or inadequate for detailed mapping of various 3D environments. For example, a sweeping camera typically needs to be set in one place for a certain amount of time to capture image data during a full rotation. Furthermore, regions that are obstructed by objects may not be entirely captured or may be incorrectly mapped. To capture these obstructed regions or additional positions within an environment, the camera may need to be moved to a new location and set to capture image data during another rotation. For a complex environment, this method may be tedious and slow, as a user needs to constantly adjust the camera. LIDAR technology may improve upon the speed of capture, but it may not provide highly detailed information about object colors and textures. Therefore, better methods of capturing data from 3D environments are needed in order to improve the speed and quality of mapping 3D representations.